12 Popular Korean Fried Chicken Chains, Ranked Worst To Best
Korean fried chicken is the most popular Korean food outside of Korea, according to a government survey, and that certainly seems true with how many Korean fried chicken restaurants have been established in the United States. The first Korean fried chicken chain opened in the U.S. around 2006, and now you can find various Korean fried chicken restaurants in most states. This mouthwatering chicken is known to be especially crunchy without being greasy — this is thanks to the double-frying technique (known to make the perfect fried chicken) and the combination of flours used for batter.
Not only are there a number of chains that came from South Korea, there are lots of Korean fried chicken joints opened by Asian Americans. We ranked the worst to best Korean fried chicken chains in the U.S. based on various online reviews — so whether you're new to Korean fried chicken or have tried a few before, this list will help you decide which chains to visit. More details on the methodology are given at the end of the article.
12. Mom's Touch
This fried chicken chain opened in Korea in 1997 and is primarily known for their fried chicken sandwiches, although they also offer chicken wings and chicken tenders. The chain operates over 1300 locations in Asia and opened its first United States location in Concord, California in 2018.
The distinguishing feature of the fried chicken at Mom's Touch is that the chicken is marinated for 24 hours in a Cajun spice blend. They're also known for their unique sauces including the extra spicy Fuego or the creamy garlic, but Redditors think Mom's Touch while the fried chicken is alright, "the ridiculous amounts of sauce they use [ruin] it." Yelpers like that it's affordable (you can get a sandwich for under $8) and the creamy garlic sauce is a popular choice. Mom's Touch can't seem to compete with other chains, though, or to keep the lights on. That first Concord location closed just six months later and the chain opened other locations in Southern California in 2021, starting with Gardena and Long Beach, which have also since closed. The only location currently remaining is in City of Industry in California.
11. Don Chicken
Don Chicken was established in Korea in 2007. They operate locations in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand and have since expanded to the United States. Don Chicken is mainly represented on the east coast with multiple locations in New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. The chain is not to be confused with Don Chicken in Encinitas, California which specializes in oven baked chicken.
In addition to the usual suspects of Korean fried chicken flavors (soy garlic and spicy), one of Don Chicken's most unique offerings is the Ppurings chicken which comes with a generous dusting of cheese and Cheetos powder. Fried chicken aside, Don Chicken also serves tteokbokki (rice cakes), fries dusted with cheese "snow" powder, and Korean dumplings. However, one Yelp reviewer of the Austin location said the chicken was "... not saucy enough and was a bit bland." Another Yelp reviewer said, "I am playing tug of war with the skin. Chewy, rubbery, not nice skin ... After finishing the one piece, I was left disappointed."
10. 92 Chicken
92 Chicken is a Korean-style fried chicken franchise that has been expanding rapidly in the United States. Instead of focusing on metropolitan cities on the coast, 92 Chicken can be found in many underserved markets including South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and more. Customers in Durham, North Carolina say it is some of the best fried chicken available in the area but reviews of the D'iberville, Mississippi location say customer service was friendly but slow. They are also expanding to California, Philadelphia, Utah, and other cities.
Like other Korean fried chicken, 92 Chicken double-fries their chicken which results in a crispier texture. They offer various toppings and sauces for their fried chicken from garlic spicy chicken, cheese, and curry chicken. There are also plenty of options for the onion lovers including sweet onion and soy garlic spring onion. The menus vary somewhat between locations — for example, the South Florida location also offers honey butter chicken and traditional Korean dishes like kimchi fried rice and bulgogi, while the Annandale location doesn't. A Yelp reviewer from the Garden Grove location said that the fried chicken is, "Pretty pricey Korean fried chicken wings compared to other places, and wings were not that crunchy."
9. bb.q Chicken
Contrary to what you may think, the name bb.q stands for "best of the best quality," not barbecue. The original bb.q Chicken opened in Seoul in 1995 and the chain now has more than 3,500 locations in 57 countries. Bb.q was one of the first Korean fried chicken chains to open in the United States in 2006. This chain has become popular thanks to a big media push. It's been featured in a number of K-dramas and enlisted the mega-popular band BTS as their spokesmen in 2016.
bb.q Chicken has quite a few flavor choices from their sweet and spicy "secret sauce" to the Cheesling where the fried chicken is dusted in a blend of cheese powder. Bb.q is one of the fastest growing Korean fried chicken chains in the United States — according to forum members of Food Talk Central, the problem is that the franchises are loosely governed so the "... experience may vary vastly from location to location." According to one Yelper the honey garlic flavor is a safe choice, though.
8. Kuku Korean Cuisine
Kuku Korean Cuisine is an East Coast-grown restaurant chain. The first Kuku location opened in Queens in 2021. They currently operate three locations in New York state with a fourth coming soon.
Kuku is more than a fried chicken restaurant. The Forest Hills and Long Island City locations are stylishly decorated to feel more like a cool restaurant rather than a fast casual chain. They also serve other Korean dishes such as galbi-jjim (a Korean braised short ribs dish that celebrity chef David Chang would rather have over turkey for Thanksgiving) and tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes). But their fried chicken was a focus from the beginning. A Yelper notes, "The fried chicken almost has no breading, but is still crispy." However, another reviewer said, "The fried chicken was divine" but was unfortunately disappointed by Kuku's other offerings, so as a whole Kuku seems to still have some improvements to do.
7. KoKo Chicken & BBQ
This chain started in Southern California. KoKo Chicken & BBQ opened their first location in Buena Park and has expanded to Garden Grove and La Palma. Considering the first location has been open since 2011, they're doing something right.
Redditors in Orange County recommend the soy glazed wings at KoKo, although another mentions that, "Service is a hit and miss, chicken is a bit overpriced." The other sauce options include sweet soy, sweet and spicy, regular, and hot. KoKo Chicken & BBQ also holds true to the fried chicken and beer pairing combo that Koreans lovingly call chimaek, and their locations offer draft beers for dine-in guests — there are Korean beers like Hite or Cass by the pitcher. Try them with spicy fried chicken as beer pairs especially well with spicy food. KoKo also offers bulgogi, kimchi pancake, and braised pork feet. Many Yelpers also highly recommend the tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes) as well as the fried jalapeño.
6. Pelicana Chicken
Pelicana is one of the early players of Korean fried chicken. The first location opened in Daejeon, South Korea in 1982. They currently operate more than 3,000 locations worldwide, including 28 locations (and counting) in the United States on both coasts. Pelicana will also open two locations in Texas.
The fried chicken options at Pelicana include wings, bone-in and boneless. They're available in original, soy garlic, or spicy flavor. In addition to fried chicken, Pelicana also offers a large menu of both traditional Korean dishes and modern fusion dishes. There are kimchi pancakes and budae jjigae alongside bulgogi nachos. Yelpers like that the chicken is extra crispy and the appetizer crispy cheese balls seem to be a big hit, however one reviewer said that the garlicky marinade "was unfortunately muted. It did not taste like what I had tried at the Pelicanas in South Korea."
5. BHC Chicken
The name BHC Chicken stands for "Better & Healthier Choice." According to the company, they use high-oleic sunflower oil to fry their chicken. Sunflower oil is one of the best vegetable oil substitutes and high-oleic sunflower oil is good for heart health and is a good source of vitamin E, plus the high smoke point makes it great for frying.
BHC Chicken is the largest Korean fried chicken chain in South Korea by sales, where it operates more than 2,000 locations. The brand has been expanding globally with locations in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, and they finally launched in North America in 2023 with a location in Los Angeles. While there's currently only one location in the U.S., things seem to be off to a good start. Yelpers say that the chicken is crunchy and flavorful, and the service is friendly. Food Talk Central forum members say that the signature "bburinkle seasoning is quite interesting, a mix of garlic, onion, and something else i can't put my finger on." — the bburinkle is a mixture of cheese, onion, and garlic powders. Another Food Talk Central reviewer said the "wings are a winner. Crispy wings with a touch of heat. So good."
4. Bonchon
Bonchon opened in Korea in 2002 but it quickly entered the United States market, opening their first United States location in New Jersey in 2006. Since then, Bonchon has focused its growth in North America and Southeast Asia. In fact, there aren't any Bonchon restaurant in South Korea. On the other hand, Bonchon kept expanding even during the pandemic and now has 130 (and counting) locations in the U.S. – as well as a presence in seven other countries.
People often compare Bonchon to Kyochon and while Kyochon usually wins out, Bonchon definitely makes good fried chicken (this DCOutlook reviewer called it "quite possibly the best, most affordable fried chicken in the world"). Bonchon originally offered soy garlic or spicy sauce for their fried chicken, but they keep things interesting by adding new sauces. Customers can also choose to order specific cuts, such as wings or boneless pieces only. They also offer other popular menu items like bibimbap and bulgogi — and so, the variety makes this chain a great choice.
3. Furai Chicken
This Korean fried chicken chain originated in Orange County, California. Furai Chicken was opened by Tommy Kim in 2017. The original Furai Chicken location was a stall inside Zion Market in Irvine, California but the restaurant has since expanded into a larger location in Irvine, as well as new locations in Southern California including Garden Grove, Diamond Bar, and more.
The L.A. Times named Furai Chicken a finalist for the best fried chicken in Orange County and many Redditors recommend this chain as their favorite Korean fried chicken – one reviewer said, "This is a hidden gem." Though it's hard to compare them to bigger chains as they only have limited presence in Orange County, California. Furai Chicken offers fried chicken sandwiches but served on a croissant instead of hamburger buns (they're cheekily called "cro-sand"). They also cater to customers who prefer less batter with their "light crispy" option — and their fried chicken is available in a variety of sauces including soy garlic, garlic and green onion, kang jung (sweet and spicy), and the spicy fire sauce.
2. Vons Chicken
Vons Chicken started in 2007 in South Korea and now has 70 locations worldwide, including China, Vietnam, and the United States. While it doesn't have as large of a presence compared to some of the more famous Korean fried chicken chains, Vons has its own fanbase. In particular, Vons has expanded its operations in California and Hawaii. They also have a location in Idaho which was named one of the best fried chicken spots in the Boise area.
Many Northern California Redditors prefer Vons over Bonchon and noted, "It's similar and Vons is cheaper" and "the wings at Vons are also bigger than Bonchon." Others say that the chicken stays crispy even after a couple of days in the refrigerator. A reviewer at Honolulu Magazine ranked the Vons fried chicken flavors and chose honey butter as her favorite. The chain also offers oven-roasted chicken in various flavors for customers who want a healthier option. According to Yelp reviews, the sides at Vons are equally impressive, especially the honey butter cheddar fries.
1. KyoChon
KyoChon first opened in South Korea in 1991 and opened their first location in the United States in 2007. The success of that first Los Angeles location was thought to be the one that spurred the popularity of Korean fried chicken in the U.S. According to a The New York Times article, the double frying technique that makes Korean fried chicken especially light and crunchy was developed by KyoChon.
South Koreans rank KyoChon as their favorite Korean fried chicken chain. Many reviewers and blogs in the U.S. have also pitted Bonchon vs. KyoChon and the majority agree that KyoChon reigns supreme – The Infatuation says, "The standout element of KyoChon's chicken wings is the crispy batter." KyoChon keeps its menu simple and specialized: There are some side dishes — primarily, however, KyoChon serves chicken wings (bone-in or boneless). The signature soy garlic sauce is the most popular, especially among garlic lovers — but people also love the spicy sauce and honey.
Methodology
The above list was compiled by aggregating opinions and reviews from various online sources including Yelp, Reddit, and local/regional websites. In some cases, the list also draws from my personal experience dining at these restaurants.
The chains were selected to geographically cover as much of the United States as possible, each with locations in different regions and states of the country. Major chains with more locations were favored over regional chains — although some of the smaller chains were also selected for inclusion. Quality consistency across locations of the same chain, along with customer service, were also taken into account.